PROPOSALS for a residents parking scheme in some streets of Middlesbrough’s Beechwood estate have been put forward.

The scheme is aimed at tackling the problem of “inappropriate parking” connected with the James Cook University Hospital.

Charlie Rooney, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive councillor for transport, has agreed that £20,000 from the sum James Cook University Hospital agreed to contribute to public transport and parking measures under the planning consent granted for the hospital’s new oncology unit should be used towards the Beechwood scheme.

Brian Glover, the council’s head of transport and design services, reported to Cllr Rooney: “On-site observations and street surveys suggest parking by non-residents is limited to around 40 or 50 vehicles parked in Martonside Way, Cavendish Road, Hurworth Road and Kilburn Roads.

“None of these vehicles was observed to be parked dangerously or in a manner that could be said to be causing an obstruction.”

Cllr Rooney said residents had been expressing concern for some time about the parking situation in the area. He said the hospital also had a travel plan which tried to get people to use alternative forms of transport to get to the hospital.

Under the proposed scheme the residents parking scheme would operate from 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. Residents parking permits would be issued free and each house would get two visitor permits.